It’s pretty well known that the Thornton Academy football team is one of the top teams in the state. It’s also well known that the Biddeford Tigers have struggled the past two years, going 0-8 in 2011 and 3-4 in 2012.

What’s also well known is that despite the differing records, come Friday night in the 102nd Battle of the Bridge, none of that will matter.

Biddeford has 22 seniors on this year’s team, and they are beginning to find their groove. In the past two weeks, the Tigers’ defense has not allowed a point in a 12-0 win against Portland and a 29-0 win against Gorham. That’s pretty impressive, especially against Portland, which had scored 41 points twice before playing the Tigers.

Thornton Academy on Saturday lost its first game of the season when it fell to Cheverus, 28-14. Before then, however, TA had steamrolled to a 6-0 start and established itself as one of the best teams in the Southern Maine Activities Association.

Losing to Cheverus is what every team has been doing, however, as the Stags improved to 7-0 and won their 31st straight game. They are also the two-time defending Class A champions.

But when Friday night rolls around, it won’t matter who lost to whom, who beat whom, who has this many touchdowns or who has played better in the past two years.

On Friday night, Thornton Academy will show up prepared, well-conditioned, confident and ready to play.

Biddeford will run out onto Waterhouse Field with renewed confidence, also well-conditioned and ready to play.

Both teams will play for pride, and both teams will leave everything they have out on the field.

The Battle of the Bridge rivalry might not be the oldest in Maine, but it is the best. Only a few miles separate the two schools, which represent two of the most storied programs in all of Maine high school football.

There will be big hits, big throws, big runs and big plays on Friday night, which is to be expected when these two teams face off. That rivalry is intense, and nothing else in Maine matches the respect and desire to beat one another than Thornton and Biddeford bring to this contest every year.

The rivalry between the two schools is so big, that they compete against each other for the Wilson-Agreste Trophy each year, an award based upon the number of wins they have against each other in all sports during a school year. It doesn’t matter in what sport the two teams compete ”“ be it softball, baseball, basketball or hockey ”“ the emotions are high for all involved.

The Battle of the Bridge is the pinnacle of this rivalry that pre-dates the 1900s, beginning on Oct. 17, 1893. Thornton won that first football game against Biddeford 12-0. In fact, Thornton won the first six games of the series before the Tigers beat the Trojans 13-5 on Nov. 24, 1910.

Thornton leads the overall series 54-40-9 thanks to a 16-game winning streak from 1931-46. The Tigers, in 1937, tied Thornton 6-6.

Biddeford’s longest streak came from 1991-99 when the Tigers won 11 straight games against TA. It could have been 17 straight, but after losing five straight times from 1987-90 (including a playoff loss), the Trojans beat the Tigers 27-21 in 1991.

The history of this rivalry is rich, and there is no doubt that the players from both sides of the river will add to it on Friday night.

We can’t predict the outcome of the game, but we will say that no matter what, it will be a game played with pride and heart, the way it’s always been.

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Today’s editorial was written by Sports Editor Al Edwards representing the majority opinion of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.